This Website is part of a multinational effort in Michigan, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Ontario and Quebec to bring you the latest information about emerald ash borer.

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Emerald Ash Borer
Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an exotic beetle that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002. The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage. The larvae (the immature stage) feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients. Emerald ash borer probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in its native Asia. Emerald ash borer is also established in Windsor, Ontario, was found in Ohio in 2003, northern Indiana in 2004, northern Illinois and Maryland in 2006, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia in 2007, Wisconsin, Missouri and Virginia in the summer of 2008, Minnesota, New York, Kentucky in the spring of 2009, Iowa in the spring of 2010, Tennessee in the summer of 2010, Connecticut, Kansas, and Massachusetts in the summer of 2012, New Hampshire in the spring of 2013, North Carolina and Georgia in the summer of 2013, Colorado in the fall of 2013, New Jersey in the spring of 2014, and Arkansas in the summer of 2014. Since its discovery, EAB has:

• Killed tens of millions of ash trees in southeastern Michigan alone, with tens of millions more lost in Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Quebec, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
• Caused regulatory agencies and the USDA to enforce quarantines (Michigan, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Quebec) and fines to prevent potentially infested ash trees, logs or hardwood firewood from moving out of areas where EAB occurs.
• Cost municipalities, property owners, nursery operators and forest products industries tens of millions of dollars.

Free Webinar Series this Fall Deals with Emerald Ash Borer and other Invasive Wood Pests

Awareness of tree pests and diseases threatening the health of trees in communities, forests and woodlands goes a long way toward making informed decisions about their care.

Emerald Ash Borer University (EABU) is a free webinar series created to bring awareness, education and information about tree pests and diseases. Webinar participants are involved in live presentations given by experts from communities, universities, and state and federal organizations who deal with these issues. The presentations end with question and answer sessions.

Tree care companies, arborists, urban foresters, landowners, educators and others involved in tree management will find these webinars beneficial. The EABU webinars are held on Thursdays (unless otherwise noted) for one hour, twice a month, beginning Thursday, October 23 at 11 a.m., Eastern Time, and running until December.

"EABU was created to bring timely, reputable information about wood pests and diseases to as broad an audience as possible," Cliff Sadof, entomologist at Purdue University and EABU co-coordinator, says. "These free webinars are an excellent way to gain knowledge from the experts, and get questions answered that can enlighten participants and provide solutions involving tree management."

Webinar topics this fall range from wood utilization to case studies on emerald ash borer, woodlot management before, during and after pest infestations, to comparing wood-boring pests, and clearing up misinformation about pest management.

Continuing education credits for participating in certain webinars may be available.

Each webinar presentation is recorded and available for viewing on the www.emeraldashborer.info website the day after the webinar is aired. Past webinars are archived, so those unable to participate in live webinars can watch them at anytime from their computer.

Funding for EABU comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, and is coordinated by communicators and educators at Purdue University, Michigan State University, and the Ohio State University.

New Strategy Being Developed to Deal With Emerald Ash Borer

• Research is being conducted at universities, as well, to understand the beetle's life cycle and find ways to detect new infestations, control EAB adults and larvae, and contain the infestation.
• Quarantines are in place to prevent infested ash firewood, logs or nursery trees from being transported and starting new infestations.

This Website provides information from Michigan State University, Purdue University, the Ohio State University, the Michigan and Ohio departments of Agriculture; the Michigan, Indiana and Ohio departments of Natural Resources; the USDA Forest Service; the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Our goal is to help you find answers to your questions about EAB. We also provide links to other EAB-related Websites. Please check this site often because information changes frequently.

What to know about EAB:

• It attacks only ash trees (Fraxinus spp.).
• Adult Beetles are metallic green and about 1/2-inch long.
• Adults leave a D-shaped exit hole in the bark when they emerge in spring.
• Woodpeckers like EAB larvae; heavy woodpecker damage on ash trees may be a sign of infestation.
• Firewood cannot be moved in many areas of Michigan, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin because of the EAB quarantine.
• It probably came from Asia in wood packing material.

If you suspect you may have EAB in your ash trees, call these numbers:

• Michigan — (800) 292-3939 (Michigan is considered generally infested, so any new infestations do not need to be reported, unless there are specific questions)
• Arkansas — (501) 225-1598 or visit the Arkansas Invasives website
• Colorado — Colorado Dept. of Agriculture at (888) 248-5535, or email CAPS.program@state.co.us
• Connecticut — The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station at (203) 974-8474 or email CAES.StateEntomologist@ct.gov
• Delaware — Department of Agriculture's Plant Industries Section at (302) 698-4586
• Florida — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry at (888) 397-1517
• Georgia — Contact your county Extension office or email to Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at: bugwood@uga.edu
• Illinois — Contact your county Extension office. The Illinois Department of Agriculture also offers a toll-free hotline at (800) 641-3934 for extension-confirmed infestations
• Indiana — (866) NO-EXOTIC
• Iowa — (515) 294-5963
• Kansas — (785) 862-2180
• Kentucky — (859) 257-5838
• Louisiana — (855) 452-5323.
• Maine — report it online, or call (207) 287-3891
• Maryland — University of Maryland Home and Garden Information Center — (800) 342-2507 or the Maryland Department of Agriculture — (410) 841-5920
• Massachusetts — The National EAB Hotline at (866)322-4512
• Minnesota — (888) 545-6684 (Arrest-the-Pest Hotline)
• Missouri — (866) 716-9974
• Nebraska — The National EAB Hotline at (866) 322-4512
• New Hampshire — Report suspect trees and submit photos of damage to www.nhbugs.org or call (800) 444-8978.
• New Jersey — New Jersey Dept. of Agriculture at (609) 406-6939
• New York — (866) 640-0652
• North Carolina — (800) 206-9333 or newpest@ncagr.gov
• North Dakota — North Dakota Forest Service in Fargo at (701) 231-5138 and North Dakota Department of Agriculture in Fargo at (701) 239-7295 or Bismarck at (701) 328-4765
• Ohio — (888) OHIO-EAB
• Pennsylvania — (866) 253-7189
• South Carolina — Clemson's Division of Plant Industry at (864) 646-2140 or invasives@clemson.edu
• South Dakota — South Dakota's Department of Agriculture at (605) 773-3623
• Tennessee — (800) 628-2631
• Texas — The National EAB Hotline at (866) 322-4512
• Vermont — The Vermont Department of Agriculture's Plant Industries Section at (302) 698-4586
• Virginia — The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Plant Industry Services at (804) 786-3515
• West Virginia — (304) 254-2941
• Wisconsin — (800) 462-2803
• Wyoming — (307) 777-5495
• USDA APHIS — The National EAB Hotline at (866) 322-4512
• Canada — (866) 463-6017

Scientists are studying methods of controlling EAB. The latest information on insecticide evaluations can help homeowners, arborists and landscapers decide if and how they can treat trees for EAB.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since the emerald ash borer's discovery in 2002, research has been ongoing to develop tools to control and eliminate this pest. Currently, there are a number of treatments available for use by homeowners or tree care professionals that can provide a varying degree of beetle control. A review of all options is recommended, as well as knowing the regulations regarding EAB quarantines and eradication strategies for your area. Contact your state department of agriculture for more EAB regulatory information. As more methods of EAB control are developed, more information will be available. References to commercial products or trade names do not imply endorsement by the entities supplying the information, or bias against those not mentioned. Reprinting of any material on this site cannot be used to endorse or advertise a commercial product or company.